Double Trouble
by Eveilae
Summary: CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN. chappie one. Two twins find each other and a truth about themselves. Whoa, how deep.
1. The Beginning

The news of Visser One's idea spread slowly at first, but after a while, most Yeerks knew about this design of the Visser's. She was planning a way for the Yeerk to control a creature from the Yeerk Pool without having to get out. Everyone outwardly agreed that this plan was brilliant, whether or not they really believed this inwardly. Who wanted to needlessly anger a Visser?

Their first target was the hospital, for humans to test on. It seems fate interfered here. Loren must have been meant to be associated to the Yeerk invasion, even if she hadn't fallen into with Elfangor. Once again she was to have a connection to peculiarity.

They told her it was a simple blood test. She believed the lie, since she expected no trick, especially from the people she thought she could trust. They brought her into a special room, where she was rushed to a white bed.

By the time she began having doubts, it was too late. They had already begun to put her to sleep. As soon as she was out, they began their experiment.

They only needed to take some DNA from her bloodstream. She cried out in pain, for she felt beyond the drugs they had injected. Something in her knew something _wrong_ was occurring. That same something knew that there was nothing to be done about it, either. But the Controllers took the blood and went into another room, obviously indifferent of this human now that her use was failing. They left her body there, resting in an unconscious state.

They played with her DNA like it was a new toy. Engrossed with their work, they almost didn't notice when she began to wake. They scuttled back, armed with sharp lies of troubles and soothing words. They asked for her husband's blood. Their explanations all seemed to run together afterwards when she tried to think back on it. But she brought him anyway. She brought them Alan Fangor.

He was suspicious. Or at least he tried to be. In the end, he knew that giving his blood to them was the correct choice for the health of his family. Wasn't it? He could quite think of what had caused him to give his blood, but he did. Even if he had managed to fight the drugs they fed him, Loren would have convinced him. He would do anything for her.

Little did he know he was helping his enemies.

A week or so later they called her back. There had been a difficulty, but they had to make sure. But what difficulty? Loren didn't know. It hadn't occurred to her to ask. She liked the pills, though.

In their earlier experiment with Loren, then had noticed an embryo growing inside her. A child changed everything. So they had changed their plans (at the request of the Visser) to instead aim the project toward her unborn child.

They told her there was no difficulty. That she was pregnant. But when she went home to tell her lover, it was no longer he. She was never to know that, though. She continued life without feeling the loss of the one man she had ever loved truly, and absolutely. He was simply gone and in his place was another.

During the course of Loren's pregnancy, the child growing inside her womb was modified bit by bit. The child would be different; there was no way it could not be. But whether or not it would be different in the way they might want it be was yet to be seen. So they waited, afraid that they would fail. For failure would surely mean death.

Or worse.

The doctor in charge of the operations was tired of waiting. They all waited the results fast, especially the Visser. So they engineered it so that the child would be delivered early. This way, if the embryo somehow was too unusual to return to their proper parents, or so useful that it would need to be continuously under Yeerk supervision, then they could insert another embryo made of their genes. If they drugged her enough, Loren could be made to think that she took too many pills and had had an awful dream.

So then two months earlier than normal, Loren went into labor. When a nurse received the bloody infant, the doctor sighed in deep relief to see it was human. No sluggish features were seen.

But then a second child came out, as loud as the first. They had been preparing for almost every scenario but this one. They had no idea what to do with the newborns. How could they have overlooked such an obvious fact? It was impossible to have missed those twins.

But as soon as they got their grip on reality, they understood that the children would have to be tested. Who knew what abilities these strange children could have? As mentioned previously, they had come entirely unexpected.

Loren would never know of these first children, as she would never know of Elfangor and her true past. Their lies worked well enough, actually. Neither of them questioned anything. Then again, no one ever seemed to. They inserted a new embryo that they had had prepared. Her third child would come three months later, and he would be received as just another kid.

Tobias.

But now what to do with the two baby girls?

The girls reminded Visser One of her own children. Or maybe not her own children, but those of her past body. The children of Hildy and Allison. Eva was of course jolted back to the memory of her little son, Marco. He would never know that the woman that kissed him goodnight was not even she. She longed for life to be as it had been, undisturbed and perfect.

News spread slowly, and it took nearly two years for the Visser Three to hear about these possible weapons that Visser One held in her hands. With these girls Visser One held the advantage. But if one of them were his own, then perhaps HE would hold the advantage.

He soon, bit by bit, learned more about the two children. They were, not surprisingly, complete opposites in some aspects. Alyachies was eternally calm and learned things quicker than her rebellious twin. Ariadne was the other one. She was louder, less held back by whatever held back Alyachies. In the Hork-Bajir language Alyachies meant 'sweet breeze feeding the trees knowledge'. Ariadne on the other hand was a very Yeerkish name, meaning 'feeding'.

As soon as Visser Three learnt enough of the girls to plan a trip for one his spies, he began, well, planning. It didn't take him very long to get one his most loyal of spies and send him down to Visser One's lair.

Most Yeerks didn't understand the Vissers' obsession with obtaining the girls. But they didn't get their ranks by being stupid. The girls had been born in very strange circumstances, and these circumstances might have other consequences besides a strange birth. Maybe having one of these girls on their side could tilt the power scale between them.

The spy got in and out as quickly as possible and grabbed the first child he could. She would have awoken the whole building if he spy had not come prepared with a gag. Visser One never saw this little girl again. Or perhaps she did, and didn't recognize her. Maybe as soon as the babe left the Visser's abode, she was considered an enemy.

Visser One raised Ariadne with the help of the loving Eva, keeping Ariadne strong and prepared for any type of battle. Eva had convinced the Yeerk that while Ariadne was loyal to her, there was no reason to make her a Controller. So Ariadne was spared, though even if they had attempted such an act, they wouldn't have succeeded.

But Visser Three had no such conscience. He tried to make her a Controller when she was thirteen. It didn't really work very well, and even heavily sedated, Alyachies's brain rejected the Yeerk. And then it rejected the next Yeerk. And the Yeerks after that. So Visser Three lost his chance to make Alyachies a slave, and her trust at the same time.

Yet, though for years they never met, they felt each other. They didn't know what was the piece that was missing from both their lives, but they knew the puzzle was not complete.

* * *

**Yay! I'm rewriting this story. How loverly!**


	2. The Plan

Ariadne POV  
  
My name is Ariadne. As if that makes me special.  
  
I sighed as I sat on the bus, alone. Not that there should have been someone sitting next to me, I was brand-spankin'-new. I hated new schools. I hated foster care. I hated my life. I hated self-pity, yet I did it all the time. I was such a hypocrite.  
  
There would never be anyone sitting next to me on the bus. Ever. Anyone could be a Controller and I had absolutely no way to tell who the hell they could be. Visser One had grown powerful since her rise of rank, knowledge that I had gained firsthand. Alyachies, my twin, might have thought out a way to tell. Like the way they walked or something. That's some thing smart people do, right? Think up things to help people. I knew Alyachies was the one that had been born to with smarts. She might have been able to help me.  
  
If Visser Three had not killed her.  
  
I felt the anger fill me, like it did every time I thought about that bastard. I hated Visser Three more than I could ever hope to hate Visser One, not matter how much she had lied to me.  
  
But maybe Visser had lied to me about Alyachies. Maybe I had been tricked once again by the Yeerk that had tried to make me her daughter. She had attempted to make me part of the Yeerk community. But not being a Controller, I was partly left out. The humans in the cages always cried out to me. They soon stopped calling out for help and began insulting me. Calling me a traitor to my own kind. Every time I went down there I would attempt to drown out the voices. But it never worked.  
  
I had at one time called her Mother. Visser One, I mean. I was too young to be without someone to hold me and tuck me in at night. At that time I felt a bigger part of the 'Yeerk community' than I ever did ever again in my life. As I got older I called Visser One a bunch of names. Ed, Edriss, Eddie, Vis, V.O. Visser. When I was angry I would call her by her full name, Edriss 5672, as if I were just another human, not one that had been raised by her since birth. But that ended as soon as I ran away, which was when her name became Visser One. She was no longer who I had thought she was. I used to think of her as my only family. Now I knew it was probably a trick. She had tricked me so many times, lying. Then, as if it would fix everything, she would say it was for my own good.  
  
But the last time I had visited the Yeerk Pool had been right after Visser One had told me the fate of my sister. And that visit changed me. I felt as if I had seen the world before through different eyes. But now the begging, the screams, the plopping and all the noises I had once thought normal, disgusted me.  
  
When we had reached the room I had been staying at, I made my decision. I had to leave this place and search for my past. Look for my biological mother. A Dracon Beam and been entrusted to my possession by Eva's request. Yeerks that worked Visser Three could try to steal, or take me to hurt Visser One. SO I had learned how to use hand held weapons and my own body as a defense.  
  
I sighed and traced the outline of the Dracon Beam in my pocket with my finger. Luckily, few Yeerks knew the details of my history, besides Visser One and Visser Three. Visser One hadn't let anyone she didn't trust see me clearly. I sighed and again, wishing-  
  
"Hey! This seat taken?" I was jolted out of my thoughts and I made myself look up at the face of the speaker. He was kind of short, Hispanic and looked as if he had just heard the worst news of his life. I might have laughed if I hadn't been so shocked at his appearance. What shocked me was the familiarity of this face. It was a face I had seen every day of my life. Not my face, of course, since my hair was dirty blonde, while his was black. This guy looked so much like Eva. Not Visser One, of coarse. If he did, he would be an over-grown slug. But what were the chances that out of all the town the social security lady placed me in, it would be in the town in which Eva's son lived?  
  
"Uh. . .yea, sure. What's your name?" I croaked, my voice rasping thanks to my nervousness. I was almost afraid of the answer.  
  
For a moment the guy looked as if he wished he hadn't come over here. It wasn't like I invited him over or anything, so this wasn't exactly the reaction I was expecting. Then he regained his composure again. How much more like Eva could you get? I had seen her without Visser One in her head. She was a great person to talk to, even though I couldn't tell her everything. Visser One would hear everything I told her later.  
  
"Name's Marco. You can call me gorgeous, though." he added the last part with a slick smile and I almost lost my cool and cracked up. Even though his voice spoke nonchalantly, his eyes told another story. They were full of doubt and fear. I might not have inherited the smarts but I sure could read people.  
  
Then his answer hit me. Marco. It WAS Eva's son. I was sitting next to Eva's fucking son. I had never, ever thought that I would do such a thing in my life. "Sit down and maybe I will," I responded coyly, making sure my eyes weren't displaying anything I didn't want them to. I had to work hard to make sure I seemed more seductive than shocked and amazed. I was never the one that could keep secrets to myself, since I never had to. There were hardly ever secrets for me to have with Visser One.  
  
As soon as he had settled himself down in the seat next to me, I began voice my question. "Is you mother's name-" Then I hesitated, wondering what he thought happened to her. To Eva. I wondered if he knew. But he couldn't. Could he? The Yeerks must have told some stupid story to fool everyone. Probably that she died because somebody shot her or that she was kidnapped. "Eva?" I had begun so I had no choice but to finish.  
  
Marco look changed to scared, then angry. "Why do you want to know?" So much like Eva again. Defensive. I wanted to laugh.  
  
"Because." No. I couldn't risk this boy being a Controller. I would die before I told my secrets to another Controller. I'd have to check this guy out first, somehow. It would have been a shame to have Eva's only son turned into a Controller. The problem would be thinking up a way to investigation. I would find I way, though. I always did. Well, almost always. I shook my head slowly. . "Don't ask." 


	3. The Attack

Marco's POV  
  
"Because." Why had I felt the need to sit next to this new girl? I had actually already obtained a nice seat in the back with Jake, but no-o-o, I had to chase after the cute new girl.  
  
Well, she was pretty good looking, you had to give her that.  
  
But that's totally beside the point, isn't it?  
  
Anyway I was scared pissless. This girl seemed to know about my family history. It's not like my mom's disappearance was big-time news. She probably hadn't heard about it on the news in the newspaper. So how did she know?  
  
Why did I get the idea that she knew my mother was alive and kicking?  
  
There was always the slight chance that I was being paranoid, but somehow I really, really doubted that fact. Out of all the random names she could have chosen [Brittany Spears, Cameron Diaz] she picked Eva. This was not chance.  
  
It had been just my luck that Jake had agreed with my idea to go sit next to this girl. If he hadn't, I might not have even advanced towards her at all. It was all Jake's fault.  
  
He said that he felt something strange about her, but not Yeerk strange. Not quite. So I, since I was such a woman's man, was picked to attempt to make conversation with her.  
  
Not that the site was bad, as I mentioned before. Her dirty blonde hair was long and thin, flowing down her back down to her waist. Her gray eyes were very direct and in a way frightening. She gave out these weird vibes. As if she WANTED people to start with her. Like she knew she'd win and she'd love every second of it.  
  
But most people would ignore the vibes just for the fact that they would want to ask her out first.  
  
"So, uh . . .where are you from, anyway?" I asked casually.  
  
She seemed just as lost for words. "Umm . . .a town far away. In Mississippi." I could tell it was a lie the moment the words came from her lips. She had not even the slightest hint of a Southern accent.  
  
Then an idea actually came to me. It was a stupid idea and totally reckless, but I was having a Rachel moment. I leaned in close, as if to kiss her but I moved my face at the last moment and whispered in her ear. "Visser Three wants your head on a stick."  
  
I could see from the way her eyes glittered brightly that she had definitely heard of Visser Three. And from the sudden anger in her face that there were bad feelings there. Then I felt the poke on my side and I knew I had made a mistake. I looked down and I was barely surprised at what I saw.  
  
This strange girl was pointing a Dracon Beam at my back, and her eyes were flashing in a way that made them see, way to much like Rachel's. "Tell me what Visser Three did to my sister and I'll spare you." She whispered intensely.  
  
Great, I had been sent to talk to an angry Yeerk whose sibling had been killed by Visser Three. Again. Why did Visser Three have to be such a killer? Couldn't he settle for just world dominance?  
  
"Does it look like I have the answers you're looking for?" I answered slowly, hoping to sound like an arrogant Yeerk.  
  
"Yes . . .If you are a servant of Visser Three, and you know who I am, then you must. It couldn't have been more than fourteen or thirteen years ago. Unless he killed her before he told anyone." She didn't look too sure of herself now and that gave me the advantage I needed.  
  
"Give me her name. I'll attempt to find out what her fate was," I promised. I would do no such thing. If she wanted to find out anything she would have to look for someone else. I just wanted that Dracon Beam pointed at someone else. I just hoped she would trust me.  
  
"Alyachies."  
  
"Alyachies what?"  
  
"We don't have no last name."  
  
"Lucky you" I said sarcastically, "I mean your number."  
  
She laughed bitterly. "Of coarse! I should have known. You think I'm a Controller!" She laughed her eyes flashing angrily again. "I see why you might think that."  
  
I suddenly felt foolish for thinking she was. There had been a million signs that she wasn't. For one, no Controller would take a Dracon Beam out in public where anyone could see it. But then who was this girl? And how did she know my mother? Or maybe this Yeerk was just desperate. Most Yeerks out for revenge were.  
  
"How do you know my mother?" It just came out before I could control myself.  
  
She laughed again. Her anger seemed to have evaporated and her face just sagged with sudden sadness. "So she is your mother. What a person!" She seemed deep in her own thoughts for a second or two. Then she remembered who I was and what she was pointing at me, and her eyes were serious again. "Meet me by Gamlor Street, number 2558. That's my foster home. Come alone, Yeerk." She spat the word Yeerk as if it was something stuff in her teeth.  
  
I stood up and met her eyes one last time. But I had nothing left to say, so I continued on my route back to Jake.  
  
But before I could bus stopped with a jolt the girl stood up, banging into me long enough to whisper, "Remember."  
  
Then she laughed again and spoke in a normal voice. "See you later, then, Marco." Then she walked off the bus.  
  
Man, she was hot.  
  
Evil, but definitely hot. 


	4. The Decision

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1  
  
Jake POV  
  
I saw her get off and wondered what Marco had learned. She was so familiar. And she had bothered Marco; I could see that by the way he looked when came out from the bus. I quickly ran up to him.  
  
"Marco! Did you find out anything?" I asked quickly.  
  
"She knows. Everything. She's- she's even met my mom."  
  
I was surprised. I had expected a lot of things. But not that. "How? Is she- "  
  
"No. But I almost got shot with a Dracon Beam before I figured it out."  
  
"Tell me everything." That he did. I was terrified. How did she survive for so long without being turned into a Controller? No one could do that. Could they? Maybe Eva had gotten Visser One to turn soft.  
  
Marco sighed and I looked up from my thoughts "What's the matter Marco?" I asked, not really wanting to hear more but knowing I had to,  
  
"I just thought who that girl looked like. How could we be so stupid! Her dirty blonde hair, her dreamy gaze, those-"  
  
"Just hurry up and tell me!" I was getting impatient.  
  
"Tobias."  
  
I just stared. Of coarse! Now that he said it, it seemed so obvious! Were they related? How could they? Loren and Elfangor had only had one child. There was never records of a twin.  
  
"They're so different. That girl reminds me more of Rachel. She was so ruthless. You would think she's just an innocent girl. Not even close. I swear if I had given her half the chance, she would have killed me." Marco looked as terrified as I felt. I believed him word for word.  
  
"You aren't going to meet her are you?" I asked suspiciously.  
  
Marco winced. "Uh…well…you see…I thought that maybe…well…you could come with me as bugs." Marco looked as if he wanted to disappear on the spot for suggesting that out loud.  
  
I sighed. We all hated bugs. It was bad enough handling bugs, think about becoming one! We didn't all have to go.  
  
As if Marco read my mind he said, "We don't all have to come. Just two, three including me."  
  
I sighed again. I was almost positive that Rachel would volunteer. I would have to call a meeting just to make sure. Ax couldn't go. It would look too weird if we had to demorph and out of nowhere, there appeared an alien.  
  
"Tell Rachel and Marco there's a meeting after school. If you have time explain to them what happened. Actually," I changed my mind "don't tell them. You guys might be over heard and followed."  
  
Marco saluted "Yes, sir. I will tell the others that there is a meeting to decide in just what way we want to kill ourselves." He walked towards the school, meeting up with some of our other friends, Jason and David.  
  
Jason was acting weird as usual. "Of coarse not!" he was saying when I walked up to them.  
  
"What you guys fighting about now?" I asked David and Jason.  
  
David sighed and shakes his head in pretend disgust. "Out friend, Jason here says people can smell like their feelings." He rolled his eyes "Another Jason comment coming up."  
  
"Hasn't it ever happened to you?" Jason asked.  
  
I laughed. If Marco can't make you laugh, you can always count on Jason. Even Rachel had always said Jason was funny. As if she heard me think of her or not, Rachel and Cassie turned to corner and almost bumped into us.  
  
"Hello, Rachel. Hello Cassie." Jason said, looking serious. Then he sniffled. "DO I smell happy? Or is it annoyed?"  
  
Rachel raised her eyebrow in response as Cassie laughed. Rachel finally spoke "Say what?"  
  
David laughed, "Jas, here thinks he can smell feeling. For example sad and happy."  
  
Rachel looked at Jason and laughed too, "When I thought you couldn't get weirder."  
  
Jason looked confused "Weird? Who said anything about weird?"  
  
"You are weird, Jason."  
  
"Am not!"  
  
Rachel sighed, "I know what's going to happen next. Don't you?"  
  
Jason shrugged "No."  
  
"I'm going to say 'Yes you are' and you'll say 'No I'm not' and so on."  
  
"You will?"  
  
"Stop acting stupid. Jason."  
  
BRIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG!!!!!  
  
"Bell, come on, Cassie." Rachel said as she grabbed Cassie wrist "Let's get away from these maniacs."  
  
Cassie laughed again "Maniacs seem to be the right name for Jason." Rachel and Cassie both walk into the school laughing.  
  
Jason slapped each other high fives. "Too bad that was quick. I could have made all of you fall to the ground laughing." Jason said and laughed.  
  
Marco rolled his eyes but smiled "Maybe. But you can't say I couldn't do it in less time." Marco and Jason were always saying how one was funnier than the other. It was just a sort of joke, though.  
  
I motioned towards the school "Come on guys. We're going to be late."  
  
We all walked into school, one of the last groups to go into school for the next 6 hours.  
  
A/N: I'll try to get the next chapter on soon. 


	5. The Walk

Disclaimers: Look at Chapter 1  
  
Tobias POV  
  
I saw Marco knock on the door. I saw through the window shades a figure of a person walking towards the door.  
  
Marco had said that he had met a girl that seemed suspiciously like a very Controller in a high position so he wanted to check out who she was. When I volunteered Jake immediately said "No. I need you to look out in the sky."  
  
I was surprised because it didn't seem like we needed much protection. Rachel and Cassie volunteered to go with Marco as fleas.  
  
I looked back at the doorway and saw a girl with a ponytail answering the door and smiling. I flew down closer to hear what she was saying.  
  
"You came." She looked around but as a regular person might look around. Most people might look around only on ground level. This girl on the other hand, looked up at the sky. And she saw me. For a moment I was so sure she knew what I was. Who I was. But that wasn't possible. Was it?  
  
Then she pointed up at the sky. At me. "I told you to come alone. Please tell your friend to leave."  
  
Marco seemed to look frustrated "What friend?"  
  
She turned to look at him. She gave him a cold stare. "Don't act stupid, Yeerk." Then her gaze softened "No matter. He would be able to listen to us from inside my house. He probably can't listen to us from here."  
  
I almost laughed. She obviously had no experience with animals. I would probably be able to hear most of the talk from the house. Not all but most.  
  
Then it stuck me. She had called him Yeerk. Yeerks don't call each other they called each other their names. If they didn't know their names they didn't call them anything. Marco and Jake had lied to me. Why? I would find out.  
  
I flew to the barn. We always had some clothes stashed there, just in case. Luckily the barn was empty. I got a bag, took some clothes I would need and flew towards the girl's house again. I flew much slower because of the bag of clothes but I went faster than if I had gone on foot.  
  
When I finally reached the McDonalds a block from the girl's house. I morphed human and changed into the clothes. When I was finished I walked to the house. It was a bit difficult because the view of houses if different from the house than from the air but at last I found the house. I knocked on the door.  
  
I heard a voice. It was the voice of the girl. "Coming!" I heard footsteps and a moment later she opened the door.  
  
At first she looked completely blocked off. Her eyes showed no emotion. Her face showed even less. A moment later her face changed. She eyes grew wide and her whole face grew shocked. Only her voice remained calm "Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Marco's friend. He was supposed to meet me at McDonalds a while ago. I saw him come in here and came over."  
  
She looked suspicious "It took you a long time to get over here. McDonalds is only a block away."  
  
I thought fast "I had lose some other friends."  
  
She turned to look at Marco "Marco. You should have gone with your friend. Lea-"  
  
Suddenly out of nowhere a little kid appeared. "Ariadne! Mom told you to play with me! I'm telling mommy!" Then the little boy ran out yelling "Mommy! Ariadne doesn't want to play with meee!"  
  
Ariadne grabbed Marco's arm and pulled out of the house. She pushed my away from the door and closed the door in one swift movement. She finally let go of Marco's arm and walked calmly to the end of her driveway. She motioned for us to follow her. Marco and I exchanged looks.  
  
Should we follow Ariadne? We didn't know her and she didn't know us. Marco decided for us. He took a step towards Ariadne and I had no choice but to follow.  
  
{Marco! Aren't you sitting? Why's there so much movement?} Rachel asked in thoughts speak. I had forgotten about Rachel and Cassie.  
  
Of coarse we weren't able to answer and Rachel knew that. But that didn't stop her from saying what she wanted. {Marco? Can you hear me? Is so jump up once.}  
  
Marco jumped up a few times just to annoy Rachel. {Maaaarco! Stop! Is Tobias still in the sky? Don't do anything if he's not there} Marco suddenly stopped walking.  
  
Ariadne looked back at us "Marco. Why'd you stop? We're almost there."  
  
Marco thought for a moment "I thought I heard something." Then he shook his head "I guess not." He began walking again. {Marco. Is Tobias with you? If so jump up and down.}  
  
He jumped up and down again. Ariadne was starting to get frustrated "Stop it!" Marco stopped and began to walk again "I just felt like doing that."  
  
I couldn't help but laugh. "So where is it that we're going?"  
  
"We? Not we. Us. I only made one deal. That was to tell my story to Marco here. Not to you or anybody else." Ariadne looked angry.  
  
"I'm not leaving." I said firmly. "You tell Marco, you tell me."  
  
Ariadne must have given up "Fine. But hurry up." She turned around and began walking faster. We finally reached McDonalds. Ariadne found us an empty table away from everybody.  
  
She looked around nervously "Okay. I'll start from when I was born." 


	6. The Discovery

Disclaimer: Look at Chapter 1  
  
Ariadne POV  
  
I sighed and began. "My sister and I are an experiment gone wrong. We were to become the first humans to be born with a mental connection with a Yeerk. But the experiment went wrong and we were born as two when we were to be born as one. We were taken away from my mother and they erased my mother's memory. Visser One never told me who my mother was. I only knew that I was born in this town. Anyway, when we were two years old, Visser Three sent one of his trusted officers to get Alyachies. The gutless creature, he couldn't even come himself." I felt my face contort with anger. Then I regained my figure. I couldn't risk finding my weakness. My anger. Visser One had tried to control it but failed. Her trying to help me just made me angrier. I continued, "He took her away and I never saw her again. Now, I want to find her. If she's dead I'm going to avenge her and make Visser Three pay for what he did. I'll squish him like a bug."  
  
"That's kind of hard to do. We've been trying to do that for a long time and we've never succeeded. What makes you think you will?" Marco said questionably. I sighed. It would be difficult to explain to these Yeerks why I felt how I felt. I'm human after all and Yeerks probably don't think the same way humans do. But maybe having control of a human might help them understand better.  
  
"Look, Yeerk. Do you have something that drives you? That gives you energy? That makes you angry enough to want to kill someone? That's what I feel. My sister and me shouldn't have been separated. But Visser Three did just that. And for that he going to pay." Oh shit! I did it again and exposed my anger. For years I had never had to do that. Now I would or else I would get noticed.  
  
Then Marco's companion laughed. I had known he was a Yeerk. His lies hadn't tricked me. That's why I had let him come; he was obviously much more than a human friend to Marco. Or Marco's Yeerk for that matter. After a short pause he spoke at last "I think my friend here does feel that." He said no more, hinting nothing. But I needed nothing more. It me right then and there, so hard and nearly felt it.  
  
"You're not a Controller, are you?" I asked quietly, still trying to get over my shock "I'm talking to a human. Or two I should I say" I looked at Marco's companion "that by some strange reason figured it all out. And you know who Visser One's host is." I laughed suddenly surprising myself "And plus, you probably don't give a shit about my story. You just want to know about your mother."  
  
Marco glared at his companion "Tobias, couldn't you have kept your mouth shut?"  
  
Tobias glared back "You're the one who lied to us about why you were going to talk to this girl."  
  
I laughed again "Chill, guys. You're both partners in crime it seems. Marco here lied to Tobias and Tobias gave away Marco's secret. Now you're both even." Then suddenly a girl I had seen in some of my classes and another girl walked up.  
  
"Hey, guys. I'm surprised to see you guys here." Said the blonde one. The other girl's name was Cassie and I knew she was kind and caring from the moment I saw her. But now I was suspicious. Tobias had said that Marco lied to `them'. That meant that Marco and Tobias weren't the only humans to know about Yeerks. These girls seemed genuinely surprised but you never know.  
  
Then Cassie smiled at me and said "Hey. You're that new girl, right? I'm-"  
  
"Cassie. Yeah I know that." I smiled friendly, changing from my angry, conscious of aliens self, to my normal girl self. "You're in some of my classes."  
  
The blonde one spoke again. "I'm Rachel. You might know my cousin, Jake. He's best friends with this weirdo." She pointed to Marco and I laughed. It was so obvious that these guys knew each other better than they pretended to. But maybe Rachel liked Marco and was embarrassed because all her friends thought he was weird. I wouldn't doubt that might be a reason. But want about Cassie? And Tobias.  
  
There was something about Tobias. Something that seemed so obvious but yet so hard to put my finger on. I sighed and decided to brush it off until later. I tuned back into their conversation.  
  
"I'm taking Cassie shopping and Cassie wanted to stop here before getting there." Rachel was saying. She seemed to be talking to the whole group but kept looking at me. I felt like saying `Stop looking at me.' But I didn't if I did I would say it too coldly and seem too cold to fit my bouncy, nice girl attitude. It's so hard to be a nice, cheerleader type girl.  
  
"Is there a sale?" I asked pretending to be excited. Cheerleaders like shopping right? How wonderful. It so happened I hated shopping and find it extremely boring. But I'd do anything to keep my cover. Even go shopping.  
  
Rachel nodded "Yeah, it's in Gap. They have sweaters 40% off. Cassie really needs to go shopping more, y'know."  
  
I pretended to look Cassie over "Hmmmm...she could use a new sweater." I stood up. "How about we go right now?" I really wanted to get away from the stares of Marco and Tobias. They must have seen my change and have been surprised.  
  
I smiled in spite of myself "So Rachel, do you accept my offer?" I looked from Cassie then to Rachel "What about it?"  
  
Rachel nodded "Yeah, if we can get Cassie into Gap I'll be glad." Then she laughed.  
  
I took a step towards the door and then turned to look at them. Then I almost started to laugh. Do you know those Superhero comic books where the superheroes stand side by side and kind of look at you? That's what these guys looked like.  
  
I saw that Rachel and Tobias had a connection, yet I wasn't sure if it was a strong friendship or a strong relationship. They all seemed to care for each other but the connection with Tobias and Rachel was different than for example Tobias's connection with Cassie. Anyway, I only allowed myself to smile.  
  
"Come on, guys." I tucked some of my hair behind my ear "I'm not gonna wait around all day." Tobias looked at me and in the eyes and I just froze. I couldn't move and I felt as if would never move again. My whole world was being turn upside down. Then I looked away. "I-I just remembered...I have something to do. At home. With my mother. Some kind of connection therapy or something." I hoped my voice didn't sound as fake as I thought it did.  
  
I walked out of the McDonalds and felt the tears swell up in my eyes. They just came out and I could stop them. I ran all the way home (which isn't saying much because my home just a block away) and took out my keys. Oh shit! I could find them! Did I leave them in McDonalds? Yes, now I remembered. In my hurry to get away from Marco and Tobias I had left my keys on the table. Now I would have to go back and get them. I dried my eyes with my shirt.  
  
I bet your wondering why the hell I was crying in the first place, huh? Well, right then and there I figures out who Tobias was. He was my brother. The Yeerks couldn't possibly have just erased everyone's memory of a baby. When they figured out the experiment didn't work they must have put something else in place of my sister and me. I bit my lip and turned around and found Tobias right behind me. I gasp and jump a little in surprise.  
  
"Oh, god. You scared me, Tobias." I said hoping to sound normal.  
  
He didn't show any recognition that he heard me. He tossed me my keys and simply said "I figured it out too."  
  
I didn't even try to pretend I didn't know what he was talking about "Who-who are your parents?" I asked quietly.  
  
Tobias sighed "My mother left me when I was very young."  
  
"Why? With another man?" I asked curiously.  
  
He shook his head "My father was already dead. Well, he was supposed to be my father."  
  
"What do you mean by `he was supposed to be my father'. That makes no sense." Then he told me. Everything. About Elfangor meeting Loren. About him staying on Earth and having...me. After he finished there was a deep silence "Elfangor's my father. But Visser Three killed him. And if he killed Alyachies too then he just killed two members of my family. And he has tried to kill you. Lucky me." I said dryly. I knew my words might not make much sense but I didn't care. I finally remembered where I was and who I was with. I looked up to look at Tobias "Tobias. If you're, I mean, our mother ran off, and our father is dead. Who do you live with?"  
  
He smiled, but in a way he didn't smile. I noticed for the first time that his face very expressionless. Then he answered, "I live in a meadow." He just let it hang there and turned around to walk away.  
  
I wasn't done yet, though. "Tobias." I called quietly. He turned around and looked at me. "Do you want to come in?" I asked and looked pointedly at my home.  
  
He shook his head "I have to go. We'll explain it all. Just not now. Soon." Then he turned again and walked away.  
  
I stood there in silence for a while. Then I turned, unlocked the door to my house and walked inside. I went up to my room, which I shared with Peter, an 11-year old kid. I locked the door, even though Peter always said not to. I just laid on my bed and soon feel asleep. 


	7. The News

Disclaimer: Same as always, look at Chapter 1  
  
Rachel POV  
  
I could see that Tobias didn't just go after the girl because he wanted to return the keys. I saw something when they had look at each other. Who was this girl and what did she have with Tobias? After Tobias left to return her keys I turned to Marco.  
  
"Marco, who is she? Why did Tobias have to go to her?" I didn't try the hide my suspicions.  
  
Cassie had already caught on though, as always, she could see emotions better than I could. "Marco, why did you lie to us? She's not a Controller, is she?" she said calmly.  
  
I glared at Marco "Is she right? Did you lie? If so you better tell me the truth, and now!" I crossed my arms and waited for an answer.  
  
Then he told us. About Ariadne having lived with Visser One for all her life. About Ariadne leaving Visser and returning to her birthplace to find her sister. But I still didn't get why Marco had to come and talk to her.  
  
Once again, Cassie caught on before me. "Marco, you want to know about your mother. But you just risked giving us all away. You can't do that. At least not with telling us."  
  
I looked at Marco. "So it's all about your mother, right? What does Tobias have to do with it?" Cassie sighed and I turned to look at her.  
  
Cassie sighed again "Rachel, Ariadne is Tobias's sister. That's why he had to go talk to her. They both knew it and found it out at about the same time. That's why she left."  
  
I just stared "What? Ariadne is Tobias's long lost sister? How can that be?"  
  
Cassie shrugged "I thought it was kind of obvious. They look so much alike. Anyway, maybe its better if we leave the subject for a while. At least when Tobias's here."  
  
I sighed, wishing I could comfort him. But knowing Tobias he probably wouldn't ask for anything and pretend to be fine. As if. Like after he was taken prisoner and tortured. I smiled remembering our kiss afterwards. Suddenly Marco's voice interrupted my thoughts  
  
He was talking mostly to Cassie because I wasn't really paying attention "You should have seen her, Cassie. She was talking like...like Jake, kind of. She's not lightening quick decisions kind of person, but she talks like she's older than she looks or seen things most haven't. Then you guys came along and turned into the bouncy, cheerleader type of girl you saw. It was kind of weird how someone could change so much, so quickly."  
  
I laughed, "Marco, we do the same thing. It must be her cover. It must be difficult because she has to act like someone that never really existed inside of her. We just act like who we used to be." My words burned both Cassie and Marco. They even burned myself. How I said `Who we used to be'. But I saw in their eyes that they knew I was right. But they didn't like it. We all knew we could never go back to being who we were before. None of us like it, but me least of all. Jake had said plenty of times that he was afraid of what he had let happen to me. Sometimes I was afraid of what I had let happen to myself.  
  
We talked for a while. Mostly about pointless things and silly things. It was a carefree moment that I wished I could have more often. Now there were so many battles and so many things on my mind that I didn't have time for these things.  
  
Then Tobias walked up "Hey." I looked up at him and tried to see if I could find out how he felt. But it didn't work. I suck with emotions. He looked away and said "So, Marco. Did you tell them?"  
  
Marco nodded "Yeah, they know now. And Tobias, I knew all long that she was your sister." I turned to look at Marco angrily. He knew?! He had known and hadn't told Tobias.  
  
"What?! You knew and didn't tell me? Why the hell not?" Tobias said angrily.  
  
Cassie put a hand on Tobias's shoulder "Tobias, come on. I'm sure he had a good reason no to tell you." Cassie, good old Cassie. She always knew the right thing to say. Good thing she hadn't let me open my mouth and say something. It wouldn't have been good. Especially with all the kids there, maybe listening.  
  
Marco looked at Tobias and said "Tobias, I wanted you to see her first. And plus it wasn't all my decision. Jake knew it too."  
  
Tobias took a deep breath "Okay, fine. I'll see you guys later." He began to walk towards the exit.  
  
"Wait, Tobias." I called. I walked up to him. "Don't go." He turned around and looked at me. "Look, Tobias. I'm as mad at Marco as you are. He shouldn't have kept quiet. But you can't change that." Tobias remained quiet so I continued. "But that doesn't mean we can't get away from Marco for a while. How about we go and tell Ax about the current events?"  
  
Tobias nodded "Yeah, good idea. He's got two new nieces." I laughed and we walked out.  
  
Ax POV  
  
I stood by a small pond and placed my hoof in the water. I was very thirsty and it was almost time for the evening ceremony.  
  
Then I heard a voice in my head {Ax! We have something to tell you.} I turned and saw two birds landing in a tree nearby. The red-tail hawk was Tobias and the bald was Rachel. They both demorphed and I saw that their faces were angry and grim.  
  
{What has happened? Are one of the others hurt?} I asked quickly, hoping nothing was wrong.  
  
Rachel shrugged "Physically, not really. Emotionally, maybe."  
  
Tobias sighed, "We've just got news, Ax-man. You have two new nieces."  
  
It took me a while to figure it out "Loren had a brother? Or did Loren have another child beside you."  
  
"The last one was more correct, Ax" Rachel answered, "Loren had TWO more kids besides Tobias. She just didn't know it."  
  
Then Tobias told me about what had happened at McDonalds. Meanwhile he got a bit angry. Tobias was not angry much. Or if he is he doesn't show it. But he was showing anger too. But Rachel shows anger a lot. And usually when Tobias is angry, Rachel is angry is too.  
  
"Why did Marco not tell you?" Then it came to me. That was why Tobias and Rachel were angry. Marco and Jake had kept Ariadne secret and had lied about why Marco would go to see her.  
  
Rachel shrugs "How should I know. All I know is that I want to kick his ass. Badly."  
  
Tobias shook his head "No, Rachel. Maybe he did have a reason to keep Ariadne from us." He didn't look like he believed that but as if he said it mostly to calm Rachel down.  
  
I got an idea. {Could I go meet this Ariadne?}  
  
Tobias nodded "We could see if she's home."  
  
That was how I met Ariadne, my brothers unknown daughter. 


	8. The Meeting

Disclaimer: I don't feel like typing all the 'Animorphs belong to KA Applegate' junk. So I'll just say this: "Everything belongs to who made it up or who helped make it up. Including Ariadne and Alyachies who belong to me."  
  
Ariadne POV  
  
I woke up to the sound of knocking at the door. "Ariadne! C'mon and open the door. I just need to get something and I'll get out!"  
  
I sighed. "I'm comin' Pete! Hold up!" I got up and opened the door. Peter walked to his desk, grabbed his Discman and fell onto his bed.  
  
"Hey!" I said and sat up on her bed. "You said just wanted to get something and you would get out!"  
  
Peter shrugged "So, I lied. Big whoop." Then he looked closer at my face. "Hey, Ariadne. Have you been crying?"  
  
I smiled. Even out of the four other kids Mrs. Keller and Mr. Keller had decided to let into their foster home, Peter had been close to Ariadne. He was 3 years younger than me; I had grown to like this kid. I had tried not to lie to this kid. But when aliens are chasing you, it's kind of hard not to lie. But I checked Peter out and made sure he wasn't a Controller. It was too much work for me to do with everyone.  
  
Peter stood up "Look, Ariadne. You can tell me. I won't tell Mrs. Killer." I laughed. Peter always called the Kellers, the Killers. It fit them quite well. They threw things and at times Mr. Keller got drunk and when that happened, anything would give him an enormous temper. Mrs. Keller always took a belt and threatened to spank them with it if they did anything wrong. I rubbed my back where she had hit me at the thought of her.  
  
I sighed "Peter. I never told why I was here in the first place. I'll tell you now."  
  
Peter looked amazed "Why me? Why not someone else?"  
  
I laughed again "I don't anyone else in this hole of a town." Then my smiled faded "Except for…well…that goes with the story."  
  
Suddenly Peter seemed to remember something "Oh yeah! There's someone downstairs waiting for you."  
  
I jumped up "Tobias?" Peter must have noticed the way my eyes glowed in a happy way. He laughed.  
  
"Boyfriend, huh?" he laughed again.  
  
I smiled "No, much, much better." I took his arm "Let's go."  
  
"What? No way, I'm not going into that room to take with three strangers."  
  
I stopped "Three?" I groaned "not Marco. If Tobias thinks I'm apologizing to him…"  
  
Peter shrugs "Let's go then."  
  
I looked at him "NOW you want to go?"  
  
He nodded "Yep, yep, yep."  
  
I rolled my eyes "Fine."  
  
We walked down the stairs and I saw that Tobias was with someone I hadn't seen before. He looked our age but I hadn't seen him around in school. He almost looked pretty in a way yet also cute. And plus he looked like Rachel, and Marco and some other third or fourth person. And with them was Rachel. Her eyes were angry and she looked nothing like the mall rat I saw at McDonalds. She looked like a warrior.  
  
I sighed "Hey, guys." I looked at the new kid "And who are you?" Hey! I never said I was polite.  
  
Tobias smiled "His name is Philip. He's from out of town. Way out of town."  
  
Rachel laughed and Philip nods his head "Waubay oust of t-ow-n-e"  
  
I looked at him strangely and so did Peter. Philip just stood there staring back. Peter looked away but I didn't. Then I smiled "So, you gonna answer me with the truth, Andalite?" I saw the surprise in his eyes and I laughed. I saw Peter's confused face.  
  
"Peter. I'm going to tell you my story. Right now and here." I sat down on the couch but Peter remained standing.  
  
I sighed and pointed at Tobias "I should start by saying, 'This is my brother, Tobias'. Or maybe I should start by saying 'I grew up with aliens that enter your head and make you into slaves'. Or maybe just plain 'Aliens exist' would be just fine."  
  
Peter's eyes grew wide and he looked at me "Are you one?"  
  
I shook my head "No." But then I remembered Elfangor "Well…maybe…let me just tell the story and you'll figure it out." So right then and there, I told him about the Yeerks. And Andalites and Taxxons and Hork-Bajir and…Elfangor. I told him about the experiment and my growing up with Visser One. Then I told about Marco and the Animorphs. I could see that Tobias, Rachel and Philip (If that was his real name) did not want me to tell Peter. But I told him anyway.  
  
In the end of my story Peter stood there mystified. Finally he said something "H-how?"  
  
I shrugged "I have no idea. Luck I guess. No one knew Elfangor was my-I mean- our father. I doubt Elfangor knew he was giving the power to his son anyway." I turned back to Phillip. "As I said before, Philip. Who are you? Really."  
  
Tobias sighed, "He's an Andalite. His real name is Axmili, Ax for short. He's Elfangor's brother."  
  
My eyes went wide "Elfangor's BROTHER?"  
  
At the same time Peter said "Another alien?"  
  
Tobias nodded "Yeah. But we have to go."  
  
Rachel shakes her head "No, Tobias, YOU have to go." She turned to look at me. "There's a dance tomarrow. How about you go, meet some kids. And plus you can meet Jake. We can go to the mall and shop a bit for a dress."  
  
I laughed, "I don't really like to shop."  
  
She shrugged. "As long as you go. C'mon." She took my arm and we walked out. Tobias and Ax followed us out and I closed the door.  
  
~~Later at the mall~~  
  
It turned out to be OK. Rachel didn't let it get too boring. She was good at shopping and had done it a lot, of that I could be sure of. She knew what kind of stuff looked good on me but I told her if it was within my taste or not. Finally after what seemed like hours, Rachel and I stopped at one store. I forget the name, I'm not very good at names. She showed me a black dress with sleeves and it reached down to almost my ankles. I shook my head and looked around for a moment. Then I saw a light blue dress. It was sleeveless and it reached up to my knees.  
  
Rachel smiled "Now you're getting the hang of it. It'll look great on you. GO on and try it on!" She dragged me in the changing rooms and pushed me into a dressing room. Ok, so I exaggerated. She didn't exactly PUSH me, but that was how I felt at the moment.  
  
After I changed, I watched out and Rachel inspected me. "What you looking for, Rachel? Bombs?" I said after a while.  
  
She laughs "No. I just wanted to see how it looked on you. It looks really good on you. You should buy it."  
  
"How much does it cost?" I looked onto the price tag. It said $20.00. I sighed and looked at my wallet for a moment. When I counted up to and saw that I had enough money to buy the dress I nodded "Fine, I'll get it. Give me a minute." I walked into the changing room, changed back into my regular clothes and walked out holding the dress "C'mon. If I don't get home soon, I'm gonna get killed."  
  
Rachel nodded and we walked towards the cash register. The cashier lady sneered at us "Hello." She said in a squeaky voice "what can I do for you?"  
  
"We want to get this." I put the dress on the counter and took out my money to pay with. She took my money, gave me the dress in a bag and walked through a back door of the store. I turned to say something to Rachel when I saw her.  
  
She was wearing I wig I had seen her wear a lot. She was looking around as if searching for something…or someone. But that didn't look too strange. But I knew who she was. Visser One.  
  
I took Rachel's arm and ran out of the store. Rachel could tell something was wrong but didn't know what. I didn't stop until I had gotten out of the mall. By that time I was out of breathe and Rachel was confused.  
  
"What was THAT about?" She asked.  
  
I leaned against a wall. "It was her. She's looking for me!"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Who else? Visser One."  
  
A/N: I'm no good with dresses so if the descriptions of the dresses were really bad, sorry. 


	9. The Dance

Disclaimers: Look at my other chapters for all of this.  
  
Jake POV  
  
I looked around for a moment. I was looking for and Ariadne. Rachel had told me she would be here and she wanted me to talk to her. I wasn't too sure I wanted to. She seemed like someone who would be angry with me about not telling Tobias or anybody else about them being sibling. I wasn't too sure I approved of Tobias telling Ariadne about everything. At least he hadn't mentioned the Chee.  
  
I had talked to Cassie too. She had said to be careful with her. She had thought Ariadne had the air of someone who I had a deal to make. She said not to make ANY decision without telling the other Animorphs. I sighed; Cassie was suspicious about me keeping Ariadne a secret too. Rachel been just plain cold to me. Tobias had ignored me mostly and Ax was…well, Ax was neutral.  
  
Suddenly, BAM! I was on the floor.  
  
Ariadne POV  
  
*~*Flashback*~*  
  
I had declined Jason's offer to drive me to the school. I didn't feel like being with people right then. Why go to the dance at all if I didn't want to be with people, then? I really didn't know. I guess I really just wanted to see who this 'Jake' was. I could tell he was someone important in that little group. Who he was exactly though, I really didn't know.  
  
I was really freaked by the appearance of Visser One. I knew I should have gotten out of town quickly but I couldn't. I couldn't leave the only real family I had. Or could I? I didn't know them very well…and I wasn't sure if they ever liked me at all. And if they didn't want me they could…get rid of me. I gulped. I hoped they wouldn't go THAT far.  
  
As I neared the school, my fears increased. I wasn't sure what I would find there but I was sure it wouldn't be anything I expected. And I was right…mostly.  
  
*~*Back to the Present*~*  
  
BAM! I was suddenly on the floor and getting squished by some guy I bumped into. He got up and so did I. I looked at the guy and smiled. He was cute. And normal…I really wished right then I could be just any new girl that decided to come to the dance to meet some new friends. But I wasn't. And I had to face that fact, not try to change the unchangeable.  
  
Then, out of nowhere, the guys said "Hello…Ariadne."  
  
I don't know if I looked surprised or not, but I hope I didn't look surprised. It took about a minute or so before I came to my senses and figured out who this kid was. "Hi…Jake. Well, we'll have to talk later. I have to go." I was lying, obviously. I had nothing to done wait for the unexpected. But I had to get away from Jake. So I turned and started to walk away.  
  
But suddenly he grabbed my arm. I turned and glared at him "What do you want?!" I pulled my arm out of his grip. He ignored my anger and pointed to another part of the room. I was about to say something like 'I was just going to look at that wonderful looking corner'. But then I saw her.  
  
She was just standing there, looking a bit lost but altogether unwilling to ask anyone anything. She looked…like me. Actually more than just like me. She looked EXACTLY like me. She was Alyachies.  
  
Alyachies POV  
  
I wasn't sure why I was even there. I didn't go to the school and I sure as hell wasn't invited. But I felt if I was ever going to find any type of family that I ever had, I would fine it here. Visser Three had said my family was all died and that Visser One had killed them.  
  
I wasn't sure if I trusted Visser Three any more. Maybe I had NEVER trusted him. Then in the middle of my thoughts, a shout ran out.  
  
"Ariadne! Over here!" A blonde girl waved to me. My first thought was "Who is this girl?"  
  
When she reached me I began "My name's not-"  
  
But she interrupted me "Ariadne…Why'd you change-" She turned and was about to say something but then stopped. I followed her gaze and saw a girl and a boy getting up from a fall. I couldn't see them very clearly.  
  
Then the girl turned around again to look at me "Who are you? No, wait. Just stay here. I'll be right back."  
  
She starts to walk towards the girl and the boy but I grabbed her arm "Could you tell me what your name is?"  
  
In one quick movement, she pulled out of my grip and said "Rachel. Remember that." With that she walked away towards the kids.  
  
I turned and saw the kids looking at me. I stared back even if I couldn't see them too well. I took a deep breath and walked to a refreshment table nearby and kept an eye out for the girl name Rachel.  
  
JAKE POV  
  
It couldn't be. Not her twin! Not here! There were most assuredly Controllers everywhere and they might be on lookout for Ariadne. And Rachel had told me Visser One was out herself to find Ariadne. Ariadne must have had SOME kind of power that even SHE was aware of. But whatever it was we would have to find out soon.  
  
It was at that time that I noticed that Rachel walking towards me. When she reached us she said "Guys! It's Alyachies! She's alive. She can tell us all types of things about Visser Three and stuff-" she would have gone farther but Ariadne covered her mouth with her hand "Not so loud, Rachel. Let's leave for Cassie's barn now and we can talk calmly there. Let's go now. Rachel, you deal with my twin. She'll trust you slightly more than us."  
  
With that, Ariadne grabbed my arm and pulled me towards where Cassie was standing talking to Ax and Tobias. As she saw us approach she smiled. I knew she wouldn't be smiling in a little while.  
  
CASSIE POV  
  
As I saw them come closer, I could see Ariadne was confused and that Jake was concerned. Araidne walked at a quick pace and reached me before Jake. She got close and whispered "It's Alyachies, she's here…"  
  
I felt my eyes widen "What?" I whispered back "How? Why? Is she a Controller?"  
  
Ariadne shrugged in response "I don't think so...but maybe. I haven't really had time to find out. Rachel's with her right now. We're leaving for the barn….Now. Sorry to cut your little dance short but…."  
  
I shrugged "It's OK. I wasn't exactly having the time of my life here." Even if it would have been better if Jake danced with me, I thought in my head.  
  
Ariadne laughed, "You guys crushed on each other or something?" She stopped when she saw me staring at her weirdly. "What's YOUR problem?"  
  
"I-I didn't say that out loud…" I said quietly  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I said that about dancing…uh…in my head."  
  
"You did?" She frowned, looking confused. I nodded.  
  
Suddenly Jake grabbed both our arms "Guys…we have to go…now…"  
  
I looked at Ariadne for a moment. It seemed I found the Vissers' reason to want Ariadne and her twin. 


	10. The Barn

1 Disclaimer: Yah Yah…Look at my other chapters for all this.  
  
2 Alyachies's POV  
  
I was really confused. But I let Rachel lead me to an old barn. I was tired and worn out by the walk. I mean, if you had been practically spoiled all you life, you wouldn't be able to stand a long walk either. Ok, I was a little chubby at the time. Can you blame me? As we entered, I saw two guys already there. One was kind of short and the other was kind of tall. He was cute, too. I didn't smile, just in case he was a Controller.  
  
Then, from behind us two girls walked in. One was black and was a bit short, but not as short as the guy. The other one looked so amazingly like me I stood there, gaping.  
  
She walked up to me, as if mocking me. I really hate when people do that. She smiled slightly and said right in my face, "Do you know who I am?"  
  
I looked back at her and answered "No, should I?"  
  
She looks slightly disappointed by my answer but continues as if my answer didn't matter much to her. "Well, don't you think it's obvious?"  
  
I shook my head slowly "What's obvious?" I said innocently.  
  
I could see her getting angry, and it was all I could do to stop from grinning. I love playing with people. It's easy once you read them, see how they respond to certain answers and questions. See how quickly they return to how they were, if they do at all. But of course, I was not stupid. I knew she was probably my twin, sum kind of clone or an Andalite. So I said what I was thinking.  
  
"So, are you one of the Andalite bandits?" I said low enough so that none of the others would hear. But I was wasting my energy.  
  
"You hear?" She says, turning to the others. "She thinks I'm an Andalite…well, close…kind of."  
  
I looked at closely. No Andalite would talk like that. They wouldn't want to sink low enough to talk like humans. No matter how long they've been on Earth. So I answered, "Who do you think you are? Visser Three will probably make me a sub-visser and his adviser when I tell him his so-called Andalite bandits contain humans." Actually, for the moment I was only sure that it contained ONE human, this girl. My look alike. But by the looks on their faces, I could tell I was right. There was more than one human in this group. Maybe they were all human.  
  
Finally the cute guy spoke up. "Ax. Go." I felt a slap on my face, and it all went dark.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Man, my head hurt by the time I woke up. Or should I say, felt as if it had been cracked open and glued back together. I touched my head lightly and felt the bump that was growing there. I moaned slightly, while I tried to sit up. As I did, I noticed there was that girl, sitting on a chair, waiting for something. That something most probably me.  
  
She smiled when she saw me sit up "Oh, so you're awake. Finally." She walked over and kneeled down next to me.  
  
At that moment my head hurt too much for me to think too much about where I was. I moaned again and leaned again the wall.  
  
The girl sighed and I looked up at her. Her eyes were sad and her face looked far older than it had when she had last been talking to me. It looked like a face whose hope had been crush, desperately.  
  
I took her hand, not knowing quite how much I gave away right then. My kindness can be my curse at times. She looked up at he and suddenly I realized what I had done. I let go of her hand quickly but the damage had already been done. She smiled sadly. "You lied, didn't you? You aren't a Controller at all. You're just a plain old human. But after what I heard from Cassie, maybe not so plain human at all."  
  
I understood none of what she had said but I suspected that Cassie was one of the girls who had been with us before I had gotten hit on the head.  
  
She continued, "I better tell you. You know…Elfangor?"  
  
For a moment my sarcastic side got a hang of me. "No, duh. I did live with Visser Three for, I don't know, all my life?"  
  
"Well, do you know who your parents are? But you shouldn't-"  
  
But I interrupped her "Yeah. I know."  
  
Her eyes grown wide "You KNOW? H-how?"  
  
"Visser Three told me."  
  
"But how can HE know? He doesn't know about Loren…"  
  
"Loren? Who is she?"  
  
"You mean…Visser Three told you…You don't know about Loren…." She closes her eyes in frustration. "He lied, Alyachies."  
  
I frowned slightly "How do you know who I am?"  
  
For the first time, she smiled "How? Visser One told me about you. She did it to motivate me to hate Visser Three."  
  
"Wouldn't you have already?" a voice from a corner of the room said softly.  
  
I jumped and looked over to where I had heard the voice. There was a guy with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. He looked he had never smiled in his entire life. He's face was flat and expressionless.  
  
"Who are you?" I asked, in a voice so low it was almost a whisper.  
  
Ariadne smiled "This is Tobias. He's our brother."  
  
I stared, open-eyed at Tobias. Suddenly I looked at the girl "Who are you? I never did ask you."  
  
She nods "Yeah, my name's Ariadne. I better explain though-"  
  
I shook my head. "Let me ask a few questions first. How can he be my brother? Is he my twin? Who are my real parents? Where does he live? Does he live with our parents? Are-"  
  
"Stop!" Ariadne cried, "I can only answer some at a time. First question first, Our mother-"  
  
"You're my sister?"  
  
She rolls her eyes "I'm your twin. I look just like you. Anyway, our mother was put under an experiment. She was pregnant and they took the embryo, us, and tried to make us into already born Controllers. But it didn't work. They had to take us away and put another embryo. That embryo is right here." She looks over at Tobias smiling.  
  
I stared at him, shocked. "A family", I murmured to myself. How much I wanted I family. I never felt as if I ever had one among the Yeerks. Now I hoped I would. But Ariadne's next answers stopped all my fantasies.  
  
"He's not your twin. Only I am. He lives in a meadow in the woods behind this barn. And…our parents are dead. They've been dead for a few years."  
  
I stood there afraid that if I moved, the whole world would get dizzy.I wanted it so much. But it was impossible. There's was not family left for me. Except these two strangers I never even knew anything about.  
  
But I wouldn't know anything about my parents either. So why was this so different. I tried to think that it would have been different. But I knew it wouldn't have. I sighed. "Guys. I have some files that I took from Visser Three years ago. I think one of them is my birth certificate. I never looked at it really."  
  
Ariadne shook her head "Before we start with that, there's one more thing I have to tell you."  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
She took a deep breath. "Elfangor's your father." She said quickly.  
  
I had thought nothing could possibly surprise me. But that news certainly did. "Wh-how?" I asked.  
  
She shook her head. "First we got to go get those files. Now let's go now. Where is it?"  
  
"It's in a safe. In the Yeerk Pool."  
  
Tobias sighs and sits down on a pile of hay. "Here we go again." 


	11. The Talk

Disclaimer: In other chapters…  
  
Alyachies POV  
  
I was tired and I wanted a rest. We had walked across town and I wasn't used to walking so far. If only I could morph. Boo to the Animorphs.  
  
Ariadne and I had gotten a letter from a lady named Dr Gee. I almost giggles at the though of that silly name. But how had she known about Ariadne and me, had been my sister's first thought. I felt ashamed of not thinking of it. I had been looking at the stationary. I remembered that Visser Three had used this ugly paper but Dr Gee used this unusually soft crimson type paper. I took it out of my pocket again and reread it for the millionth time.  
  
Dear twins,  
  
It is urgent that I talk to you both. It has to do with your mother and father. And your birth. Meet me tomorrow at 7:30 in the Taco Bell.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Dr Gee.  
  
My hands were shaking as I held the paper. About our birth? Our parents? What more did we need to know?  
  
Jake had forbidden us from going. I guess that's another reason we were going. It seemed as if Ariadne loved to do things all the more when people had already said not to. That's why we were walking the long way. We knew the Animorphs might decide to follow us just in case we didn't listen to Jake. I didn't think they would be ON me.  
  
We entered were about to enter the Taco Bell when a hand spun me around and covered my mouth. Araidne noticed I wasn't behind her and she spun, ready to fight.  
  
My assaulter smiled. "My name is Dr Gee. My guess is that you two are the twins…"  
  
Ariande nodded. "Now let go of her."  
  
Dr Gee let go. I scurried back to Araidne. Dr Gee turned. "Come with me, twins."  
  
"Our names are Ariadne and Alyachies." Ariadne said coldly, not letting Dr Gee see or hear any emotions. She could have been a good actress.  
  
We followed Dr Gee to a run down building. We entered and she led us to a small room that looked like some sort of living room. There she began.  
  
"I was the doctor in charge of your…birth." She told us about the idea of connecting the Yeerk and a human from birth. How it didn't work. How Visser One decided to keep us and find our 'powers'. How Visser Three took me away. I felt like crying by the time she finished. Or at least, when I thought she had finished.  
  
But she hadn't. "Both of you are not exactly human." I froze. How could she know about Elfangor? "We both took some of your DNA from you parents. So you are each different versions of what your parents would have been as one person." I understood but obviously Ariadne didn't.  
  
"Uh? What?"  
  
"We put your parents' DNA together and put it together in to different way. So you see, us doctors planned there to be twins. We were too frightened to tell Visser One, of coarse. But I am sick. And this host is about to die. So I feel you two need to know." She falls silent.  
  
It was then that I saw her wrinkles and her cane. I knew suddenly she was on the brink of death. Or at least her host was. She was just doing this because she would not have much life left anyway.  
  
Ariadne snapped out of her thought first. "Thank you, but we have some…things to do. You won't tell Visser One about this, will you?"  
  
Dr. Gee shook her head. "I will never see her again." she walked off before I could say anything.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
We were meeting by PayLess Shoes near the edge of town for all of us to go down into the Yeerk Pool. I felt Almost as if I was going home. As we approached the others I didn't see their reproachful stares. But Ariadne did. "What's up with you guys?"  
  
"You went to see her." Jake said coldly. I looked up at him. He was so cute. I hated the way he looked at us like he almost hated us. I felt like trembling but I held on strong. I didn't want him mad at me but there was nothing I could possibly say.  
  
Ariadne stared back just as coldly. "I was thinking you probably were spying on us."  
  
"Why shouldn't we have? We could let you slip something about us." Marco said.  
  
"We didn't slip anything!" I yelled, now angry. As much as I liked Jake there was no way I would let him get away with them saying that would be so stupid as to give away such a big secret. I glared at them all angrily.  
  
Rachel stepped forward. "You might have and we could risk that."  
  
Ariadne stepped up right up to her. "But we didn't, did we?"  
  
"You could have."  
  
"BUT WE DIDN'T!"  
  
Then Rachel swung a punch at Ariadne and hit her in the stomach.  
  
Araidne grunted but then pushed her hard enough to knock her against Cassie. They both fell. Jake suddenly grabbed Araidne and Tobias pinned down Rachel. Ariande both struggled and finally got themselves free. Rachel stood. They glared at the other and the others got ready to grab them.  
  
Instead they both turned away. Araidne muttered, "Then I'll go down myself." She walked off toward the Yeerk Pool entrance. I glared at the Animorphs. "I hope you guys survive long. Not many people survive without faith in each other." Then I walked off, following my sister towards our doom.  
  
A/N: I know…this might be short (I think it might b anyway…but I'll try and make the other chapters longer). It is ending. This story has only a few chapters left. That's about it for now… 


	12. The Flashback

1 Disclaimers: You KNOW where to go, by now.  
  
2  
  
3 Ariadne POV  
  
Stupid Rachel. How dare she act as if my sister and I were some sort of criminals. I walked past them all, ignoring their stares and their thoughts. Yes, I had thought about knowing Cassie's thought before and had experimented. I knew for example, that Alyachies liked Jake. Not a deep kind of crush, like Rachel and Tobias's or Jake and Cassie's but more like a cute guy crush. But she liked him either way.  
  
I knew also about Tobias's thoughts about Rachel. Rachel was getting to him. He liked her, a lot. Maybe even loved her. I didn't know what he saw in her. But it was his choice, not mine.  
  
So I felt their souls as well. They each had a different tune too. Rachel's at the moment was a high, angry tune. In her mind she was repeating was repeating several curses she wanted to say to me.  
  
Jake's was a sort of deep rumble. I knew was kind of an annoyed tune. I didn't know how I knew. I guess it's just one of those things you sort of know. He was repeating a phrase. I can't quite remember now.  
  
Cassie's was a sad sort of slow sound. In her thoughts she was thinking how we were supposed to survive this mission with so much mistrust. I knew she was probably right. I had known there was many things that could go wrong before our fight but now there was so many more.  
  
Tobias was a confused mixed up sort of music. It went one way first, then changed. He was wondering whom to follow, his long lost sisters or the girl he loved. I hoped he would decide soon.  
  
And lastly came Ax. His was a steady beat mixed in with drops of anger like Rachel's and also bits of confusion like Tobias's but mostly a slow, steady beat. I could get through to his thoughts. I guess you can't read an alien's mind.  
  
I had to tell Tobias about us being what our parents would be if they were one person. I had also by now found out how to get a person's attention. I turned back suddenly and looked at Tobias straight in the eyes. I felt the white light (it was invisible but I was sure Tobias would feel it) travel from my eyes to his and I felt some of my thoughts being sent to his head. Not specific thoughts. It was mostly the way I could read thoughts. I couldn't peep into every little thought that has ever been thought by the person. Only what they were thinking of at that moment. Since I concentrated on everything Dr Gee had told us. After a while I saw Tobias's eyes widen. I smiled and turned back around, heading back to the Yeerk Pool entrance.  
  
Tobias POV  
  
She smiled. Oh god, how could she just smile? It wasn't funny. She wasn't natural. Well, I wasn't very natural either. I mean, my father was an alien. But she was barely her own person. There was, still, no one like her at all. She was incredibly stubborn and as cool as anything. She was smooth and cold and so good as being mean, as mean as fire. I was scared of her. I mean, I wasn't really scared of snakes or anything like that, but I was afraid of my OWN sister?  
  
And it was true. I was afraid of her. I know she could be absolutely ruthless. I was afraid of that ruthlessness. And teamed up with Alyachies, cleverness, anyone could fall.  
  
Yes, Alyachies didn't let it be known but she was clever. She saw connections no one saw, even Marco. She would have been good with Marco but I knew she wasn't interested with him. When Ariande had sent me her thoughts she had also sent me random things that she obviously didn't mean to. Like these strange tunes. And bits and phrases of things she never would say. Also I found out about Alyachies's feelings for Jake. And she didn't agree with my feelings about Rachel either.  
  
I was also afraid for both of them. They didn't know what they were up against. Or maybe they did. They DID live with our enemies for most of their lives.  
  
But I felt sort of responsibly for them too. I felt like a protector even though they were older than me. I wanted them to be safe. If anything happened to them I would feel the blame. I sighed and walked after my two sisters.  
  
Jake POV  
  
As I watched Tobias walk after Ariadne and Alyachies, I wondered what Ariadne and Tobias had shared when she had turned around. She had stared at him for a moment and I felt a sort of heat, like laser beam passing right by me. But the beam was invisible. Them she turned back around and walked off. After a while Tobias followed them both.  
  
I felt then that I had to follow them. Tobias was one of us and I had a duty to protect my soldiers, no matter what. I closed my eyes, thinking. Ariadne's recklessness was going to get us all killed. Maybe Alyachies would get her senses back and convince Ariadne. But that didn't seem possible. Ariadne was cold and willing to do almost anything. I opened my eyes again and stare at the others. Rachel, her arms crossed and really pissed. Cassie, her eyes wide and calm. Marco, his gaze dejected. Ax, looking around everywhere and unable to keep still. I sighed.  
  
"Guys. You know we have to follow them."  
  
"I wouldn't if Tobias hadn't followed them." Rachel said, voicing the opinion of most of the others. Except for one person.  
  
Cassie shook her head. "You mean you would just let them go in there, no morphing power? No nothing?"  
  
"Well, they think they are above us. So since they are so above, why shouldn't they go without help?" Rachel said.  
  
Cassie frowned. "Rachel, you can't mean that. You wouldn't just let her die because she got into ONE fight with you-"  
  
"This has nothing to do-"  
  
"If I may intrude." Ax interrupted "Wouldn't it be wise to follow them? There will be much guilt if they are killed."  
  
We all silently agreed. But we were afraid, or maybe more like terrified, that today would be the day we would die. I hoped to live a little bit longer.  
  
Rachel POV  
  
She partly started the fight, anyway. Why did everyone act like it was my fault? She was just trying to gain control of us. And she was succeeding so far. We were playing right into her hands.  
  
And I could do nothing to stop it.  
  
Oh, my Tobias was following them. He was ready to sacrifice himself for his practically unknown sisters. It was sweet but I didn't pay too much attention to that part. He was ready to DIE to protect them. I knew, because he had told me.  
  
~~Flashback~~  
  
I sat in my room, reading a novel. I hadn't had time with all the Animorph business to read anymore. I treasured moments like that. At times I miss those moments but they were usually swept away at the remembrance of battle. Suddenly I heard a flap of wings.  
  
I walked over to the window and opened it. I was in a long, extra large shirt my dad had gotten me after a baseball game. I never was really interested in the sport itself, but to have time with my dad was what counted. Besides that I was wearing a pair of shorts.  
  
Tobias flew to my bookcase and perched on the top of it. I sat back down on my bed. "So, anything new, Tobias?"  
  
I heard him sigh in thoughtspeak, because, of coarse, hawks don't sigh. "Well, I just have to say something to someone."  
  
"Something you can't tell Ax?"  
  
"I guess I COULD tell Ax but-"  
  
"But you'd rather tell me?" I asked, trying hard to control my happiness that Tobias chose me from anyone else to tell a secret, or something.  
  
"Pretty much, yeah."  
  
"Well, tell me your problems." I answered, laying down on my bed and hugging my pillow.  
  
"Not really a problem. A feeling. About Ariadne and Alyachies. Even though I really just met them, well, I feel-I don't know."  
  
I looked up at him and brought my eyes to his fierce brown eyes and said, "Tell m, Tobias." I didn't say forcefully, or so I hoped.  
  
He relaxed a bit so I guessed I didn't say it forcefully. He sighed again. "They seem my responsibility, almost. If anything were to happen to them I would feel responsible for not protecting them. For not saving them."  
  
"But they're older than you and they're not people who exactly need much help, Tobias."  
  
"I know. That 's why this feeling's so strange. But I love them I guess, even though I hardly know them. They just seem to get in there without us being very close first."  
  
"It was kind of like that with us, the Animorphs."  
  
"But it was after we saved each other's lives. They haven't done anything like that."  
  
"Tobias, d-morph into human. I-I just feel it's easier to talk about this when you're a human." It was partly the truth. But the real reason was that I missed his human form. He going into that form less and less and I wanted to see the human Tobias one more time.  
  
He was obviously reluctant to morph into human. He thought we were clumsy and blind and strange. As soon as he was human a patted the bed next to him for him to sit next to me.  
  
He sat down and looked down at his feet. We sat in silence for a moment or two. I could hear the music from Jordan's room. She was listening to BSB or Nysnc or something like that. I wasn't really interested. Finally he spoke.  
  
"So, what do you think?"  
  
I hesitated for about a second. "I don't trust them completely yet." I stopped and awaited his response.  
  
"They won't hurt us. I-I know. Don't hate them, Rachel. If you do, it'll be like you're hating me, too."  
  
"I will never hate you, Tobias. Never. Actually the opposite." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. This was more sentimental than I usually am.  
  
Tobias looked up and smiled a shadow of a smile. "Thanks, Rachel."  
  
Then there was knock on my door. "Raaaaaachel! Ashley wants to know if she can borrow your Third Eye Blind CD!"  
  
"Coming!" Then I turned to Tobias. "Hurry." I whispered. Then Jordan began to open the door.  
  
I pushed it back. "Hey!" Jordan shouted as she got pushed backwards. "What's your problem."  
  
"Oops. I tripped."  
  
"And you're the gymnast. We're all doomed." She pushed open the door and this time I let her. I walked over to my CDs and I began, "What was that-"  
  
Jordan walked over, a smirk on her face. "Rachel's got a boyfriend. Did he climb through the window or not? Isn't it romantic? Who's the unlucky guy?"  
  
Without turning to look at her, I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "It was warm in here and I opened the window, what's so bad about that?"  
  
"Uh, as if you haven't noticed, it's freezing in here. You were always a bad liar, Rachel. Now, who's the guy? Tell me or I'll tell everyone you like Peter Harkens." Peter Harkens was the biggest geek in my grade and Jordan wasn't lying. She WOULD tell everyone. The problem with her plan was that I could've care less. But I had a part to play. And that part was of the popular big sister.  
  
"Fine, fine. Don't. I'll tell you." I never considered Tobias a boyfriend but I guess he was. We had never gone out and probably never would. But I DID love him and he loved me too. I smiled. "His name's Tobias."  
  
"Tobias. Not a bad name. What does he look like?" She leaned closer, glad to be sharing a secret with her older sister.  
  
I described him vaguely. Some details were off. I didn't want her going and telling her friends that I her sister was going out with a missing guy. Who knows? Maybe some of her friends are Controllers.  
  
Either way, thinking of him brought a smile to my face. I guess he really was the love of my life.  
  
~~Flashback ended~~  
  
I came back to the present and saw the others just beginning to follow Tobias, Ariadne and Alyachies. I sighed deeply and went to catch up with them.  
  
A/N: This is probably my mushiest chapter so far. I hope you don't give up on this story. It WILL go on. 


	13. The Feelings

A/N: I know that Visser Three is a bit sentimental but who cares?  
  
Ariadne POV  
  
I knew Tobias was following me. A little later I knew the others were following Alyachies and I too. But I wasn't paying attention to that. Oh gosh. Rachel and Tobias really loved each other. A lot. I had been reading her mind and I thought, of coarse she's probably still gonna be thinking of curses to call me. But she wasn't. She was thinking of Tobias. She wasn't trying to use him in anyway, or pretend to love him. She loved him and would probably always love him. I decided right then that maybe Rachel wasn't so bad after all.  
  
But that wasn't all I was thinking about either. I was scared. I would never admit it to anybody but I was absolutely terrified.  
  
It wasn't completely about the Yeerk Pool (I'm not going to lie and say I WASN'T afraid of the Yeerk Pool, because I was). It wasn't totally about seeing Visser Three in the flesh for the first time. It was that I wanted to see Visser One. THAT scared me a lot. I wanted her to be there. I want her to treat me like she used to when I was young.  
  
But I knew she wouldn't. She would glare at me, treat me like scum. Maybe who I really wanted to see was Eva. She was so nice to me. Always nice to me.  
  
But I also didn't want her to be there. The sight of Eva might set Marco off. I didn't know then that Marco had already seen Eva a few times before. I didn't think about HOW Marco found out about his mother.  
  
But it was no time to think about it. So I sang softly to myself  
  
My tea's gone cold; I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all  
  
The morning rain clouds up my window and I can't see at all  
  
And even if I could it would all be gray, but your picture on my wall  
  
It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad  
  
I drank too much last night, got bills to pay, my head just feels in pain  
  
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today, I'm late to work again  
  
And even if I live, they'll all imply that I might not last the day  
  
And then you call me and it's not so bad, it's not so bad  
  
I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life  
  
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life  
  
I push the door, I'm home at last and I'm soaking through and through  
  
then you handed me a towel and all I see is you  
  
Even if my house fell down now, I wouldn't have a clue  
  
because you're near me  
  
I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life  
  
Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life  
  
Alyachies had come up beside me while I sang. She listened patiently. When I was done she asked. "Who sings that?"  
  
I almost smiled. We were talking about songs while walking towards hell. What a fitting conversation.  
  
"Dido, I think." said a voice behind me. I turn and see Rachel behind us.  
  
I nodded. "Yeah. Thank You, it's called."  
  
We were silent for a moment. Then Rachel spoke.  
  
"I wanted to say that I'm sorry that I was like that. We just have to careful."  
  
I nodded again. "Yeah. I understand. Did Tobias tell you to apologize?" I said calmly.  
  
She looked like she was trying to control the words that wanted to come out of her mouth. She probably was. But she got it controlled. "No. I told the others I would see you guys were ok and then go and tell them whether or not."  
  
Alyachies smiled. "Well, we're in one piece aren't we? We'll wait here. "  
  
When Rachel was out of sight, Alyachies turned on me. "Ariadne, why do you have to be so mean?"  
  
"I don't know. I just am."  
  
"Don't act like that with me! What do you have against her? You trying to get her to stop with Tobias?"  
  
I was taken back but I hoped I didn't show it. "No. I don't dislike her at her. I just wanted to know if she's the kind of person who apologizes by free will."  
  
She looked a bit suspicious but could say no more because the others were coming closer.  
  
I turned to the others. "So who knows the way?"  
  
Cassie POV  
  
I was in the middle of the group with Alyachies. We had become fast friends in the walk to the Yeerks Pool. She was so unlike her twin sister.  
  
She was clever. Not just in the way Marco was clever but smart clever. She might actually have been able to be a straight A student AND be an Animorph at the same time. Yeah, that kind of smart.  
  
But she didn't like to show it often. She was nice to talk to. She wasn't very loud or very quiet. All in all a good person.  
  
I let her do most of the talking. She probably had wanted for a long time to tell about her childhood. I opened my ears to her and let her talk.  
  
I can't say I listened to every bit. At times my mind went to something else but after a little while I would follow her words again.  
  
At last the screams reached my ears. I wanted to leave. I didn't want to listen anymore. I felt like screaming myself. I looked at Alyachies and felt a small scent of anger in the air. Maybe it was from Ariande. I wasn't sure and didn't want to find out.  
  
Alyachies POV  
  
The air was static. That's how it felt to me at least. I wrapped my arms around myself. I wasn't ready to admit that I was terrified. I didn't want to admit either that I was angry. I was angry at myself for feeling HOMESICK for Visser Three. I was really, really angry at myself.  
  
As soon as I neared the Yeerk Pool I felt the yearning. I wanted to go back so bad. I almost slapped myself for that. It was WRONG to like being at the Yeerk Pool. Only Yeerks liked the Yeerk Pool.  
  
Well, I didn't LIKE the Yeerk Pool. I just wanted something familiar in the midst of strange things.  
  
I turned to look at Jake. I felt my legs moving towards him without thinking. Soon I was right next to him.  
  
'Alyachies, you idiot. Cassie just spent the longest time listening to you faithfully and you repay her by stealing her boyfriend? Go back right now!' I thought to myself. But by that time, it was too late. Jake had turned to look at me. I had to think of something to say, and quickly.  
  
"What's the Yeerk Pool like?" I asked hastily, trying not to be making it up as I went along. Of coarse, I already knew. I had spent most of my later childhood there.  
  
He was silent for a moment before answering. "There are humans in cages. Some are screaming, crying, begging. Some have already given up and are silent. But the worst are the ones that are watching TV…"  
  
"TV? You mean the Controllers of free will? They are said to be the greater achievement of the Yeerks. In the Yeerk Pool, that is."  
  
"Their greatest achievement?"  
  
"Yes. They like to brag about how much power they have over us. And about how gullible we all are."  
  
"Oh."  
  
We walked in silence a little bit farther. But then my big mouth comes along. "I spent a lot of my childhood in the Yeerk Pool."  
  
He glared at me slightly. "Then why did you ask me what it was like?"  
  
CAUGHT! I gulped inwardly. "I wanted to see how you saw it." I said the first thing that had come into mind.  
  
He obviously didn't believe me but I was now too embarrassed to want to stay near him any longer. I moved up to my brother.  
  
We were now almost in a line. First Jake, then Ariande, Tobias, Rachel, Cassie, Marco and Ax. I moved up behind Tobias.  
  
"Tobias. Are the Yeerks really evil? I mean, all of them?" It was nice the say the question that had haunted me all my life and especially the last few years.  
  
He looked at me, studying me for a little while. Then he answered. "I can't say all. We've all been helped by some Yeerks. But I'm not saying Yeerks are any saints. They're like humans for the most part. Not all humans are good but also not all humans are bad."  
  
I nodded, my thoughts floating away. I remembered talking to some of the Controllers in the cages. I tried to keep away from the begging ones and from the angry ones. They weren't fun to talk to at all. It was selfish, I know. I mean, they were going through torture almost 24/7 and I thought about how some of them weren't fun enough.  
  
I suddenly felt some tears slide down from my face. I turned away from the others and stood a bit away from the group. As I stopped hearing their footsteps I paid no attention. Finally when I could hear them no more I realized I was alone. I called softly "Guys? Tobias? Ariande? Cassie? Jake?"  
  
I walked faster, hoping to find them up ahead. Was I lost?  
  
Shit.  
  
Tobias POV  
  
Alyachies was a strange one. Maybe not STRANGE but different. She worried about good and evil. In war that is pretty much irrelevant. Both sides are usually evil, on different extents. It was a waste of time to ponder about it.  
  
Or was it?  
  
Maybe she was right to think about it. Maybe the less you think about it the less important it becomes until nobody cares whether they're good or bad anymore.  
  
I suddenly had something else to get my attention. We had entered the Yeerk Pool.  
  
The screams were louder than usual. The plopping was driving me mad.  
  
Rachel leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Go back, demorph and remorph."  
  
We were stupid to let Ariande out in the open. Even stupider not to pay any attention to Alyachies. For as soon as I turned back, I noticed she wasn't with us. Then I bumped into her. She was just walking out of a tunnel we had taken to lead us to the Yeerk Pool. "Where were you?"  
  
"I-I had to stop and…it's not important." She said shakily and suddenly I could see she had been crying. But there was no time to comfort her. I had to demorph. I left her to walk to the others while I demorphed.  
  
Then I heard it.  
  
{Alyachies. My dearest child. What are you doing here?} It was a voice that haunted my nightmares. Visser Three. And he had spotted Ariadne. They were twins and looked almost exactly like each other. Visser Three thought Ariande was Alyachies!  
  
Visser Three POV  
  
Alyachies had returned. I knew she would. I had grown attached to her. I felt as I actually loved her. But I couldn't. I didn't! Did I?  
  
Of coarse not. The only reason I didn't make her a host was that she did SOMETHING to herself to make her ear unable to take a yeerk. And I NEED to know what powers she held.  
  
But I couldn't hide from myself that hadn't felt stupid with her. She was intelligent and often had asked me questions I never would have thought of myself. I almost always told her that she didn't need to know instead of admitting I had no idea.  
  
But I did care for her. She was sweet. I had almost begun to pine when she left. But I didn't. I was Visser! I couldn't have any kind of affection for the girl! I couldn't. I wouldn't.  
  
Then I saw the other one. Her twin. Or maybe it was Alyachies herself. I had almost no idea. They looked so much like each other it was hard to tell.  
  
{Alaychies. Please, come back to where you belong. I have cared for you since birth and I would never harm you…} Would I? I never could, I finally decided. I did love her. That wonderful child I had raised as my own. I loved her as a parent would.  
  
Right?  
  
Suddenly, the twin farthest from me, turned and stared at me, her eyes burning into mine. That was Alyachies. And she responded. "You liar! You fucking liar! You never loved me! You never cared! So just shut up! Just SHUT UP!"  
  
I was hurt. Her words stung. I DID care for her, I did. I did.  
  
'You're finally feeling some really feelings now are you?' my host's mind said to me. 'You love her. But she knows of all those you have betrayed with lies. And believes that she is just another victim. You have suffered the consequences with you betrayals.'  
  
{ALAYCHIES! Please…you understand not. You…you must return...} I pleaded. I had made it only in her head, though. I didn't want all the hosts and Yeerks to think of me as a pleading peasant.  
  
"I won't. You know it as do I." she said calmly.  
  
{Please Alyachies.}  
  
"No. I won't."  
  
{Then you will suffer. Or to be more exact, your sister will.} In open thought-speak I said to my guards {Get the girl!}  
  
My guards grabbed Alyachies's sister and I gave Alyachies one last loving look. The last sign of my love for her. I hoped that she would one day understand.  
  
Little did I know of the doom that fall upon us all. 


	14. The End

1 Ariande POV  
  
"LET GO OF ME!" I screamed as the guard pushed me into a room and locked the door behind me. "LET ME GO. ALYACHIES! ANYBODY!"  
  
I knew I was stuck there but it never hurts to try, does it?  
  
I went over the image of each of the Animorphs. Rachel, blonde and beautiful. Were her eyes blue or green, though? Blue, I guessed.  
  
Jake, obviously of some relation for they looked much like each other. Both tall and born leaders. Blue eyes also and towering over me with his cousin at his side.  
  
Cassie, kind and friendly. Ironically, we were not very close at all. We never fought or sent each other evil thoughts. We just went our separate ways. Black skin, brown eyes and hair. Medium height, a little bit shorter than Alyachies and me.  
  
Marco, funny and smart. He could get from point A to point B. Short, brown hair and brown eyes. As friendly as a rattlesnake at times.  
  
Tobias. My brother. I closed my eyes, imagining how much we looked alike (which wasn't much, that's why I had to image hard). Blonde and medium height. Brown eyes? I doubt even he remembers off the top of his head. But mostly he's very small and covered in feathers. His eyes are like lasers and are golden brown.  
  
Ax, the blue dude. The intelligent one. The one that once he gets started and stops talking sense.  
  
I would miss them all.  
  
I then heard the squeak of the door. The time had come.  
  
Alyachies POV  
  
We were in the barn. Everyone was downcast.  
  
"How are we going to save her?" Marco asks saying what everyone was thinking and putting it into words.  
  
"Look, guys. I know what all of you are thinking. It's my fault so I should deal with it myself. I'm not even one of the Animorphs."  
  
Cassie walks over and takes my hand. "In my opinion, no matter what happens, you ARE one of us. You may not have our powers but you have helped us learn something we could not have learned without you. Both of you. And that means we are not going to let you go alone. We're all going, because you and your sister are part of us."  
  
I smiled. "Cassie, you even said yourself: IN YOUR OPINION. That's just you talking. But you are not the whole group." I turned away but after a second I turned back around. I said it to everyone but was looking at Jake in the eyes when I said it. "I'll never forget you. Any of you." Then I turned away, ready to think I'd never see him again.  
  
Tobias POV  
  
Ariadne had gotten taken by Visser Three. I was still trying to get pasted that fact. The headstrong one. How? I had always thought that if anyone would get caught it would be Alyachies, no offense to her. She just seemed more innocent.  
  
But now Alyachies had gone mad! How could she think we would let her go after Ariadne alone? We wouldn't! Would we?  
  
I turned to stare at the others. They all seemed ready to follow Alyachies, strangely, especially Rachel.  
  
I looked at Jake in the eye, my golden brown eyes burning into his. {We won't let her go by herself, will we?} I asked him in private thoughtspeak.  
  
Jake shook his head slightly so the others wouldn't see. Then he spoke. "Guys, I think Cassie's right. We can't let her go by herself. It'll be wrong." He stared at Rachel when he said this.  
  
"Of coarse," Rachel said, ingoring Jake's stare, "You can't say you even considered letting her go alone!"  
  
Jake shook his head. "*I* didn't."  
  
Marco looks around at all of us. "What if it's a trap? We could all die."  
  
{We've faced death before.}  
  
"But not like this." Marco argued. "Look guys, I'm just as ready as you to go and follow Alyachies wherever it may lead me, but we can't just go without thinking of the consequences."  
  
{Consequences?! What about the consequences if we don't leave now? They could die! Could you live with that, Marco? Could any of us?} I answered, tired of this talking. We had to go help Alyachies save Ariadne! Couldn't they get that through their thick skulls?  
  
There was silence for a little while before Cassie spoke up for the first time since Alyachies had left. "Tobias is right. We have to go now or not go at all."  
  
We all exchanged glances and each of us nodded in turn. We had decided at last. I just hoped we wouldn't be too late.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
We weren't. We caught up with Alyachies right at the door of the mall. We all entered the Yeerk Pool entrance together in various morphs. Only Alyachies remained in her own form. She said it would be better.  
  
I saw nothing for most of the trip. I felt much less. I ate, I'm ashamed to admit, much. We were fleas on her arm and we drank a bit to relieve some instincts. Alyachies did, though, slap her arm to stop us from biting anymore.  
  
Then Alyachies whispered to us quiet as to not pop our insect ears. "Guys. Hop off and demorph. It's safe."  
  
We demorphed and we found ourselves in a bathroom. We had no time to look around though as Alyachies quickly shooed us into stalls. "Stand on the seat!" she hissed as she walked out. I almost flew out of the stall to follow her but Jake saw and forbid me.  
  
"We can't go unless she calls. We have to trust her." Jake said to me in the stall we were sharing.  
  
{But we-} I began but was stopped by a wicked voice.  
  
{Alyachies. Come out.} It was Visser Three! {Come out or it will all end for your sister.}  
  
Ariande POV  
  
My conversation with Visser was mostly one sided.  
  
{Tell me where the Andalites are and might show mercy!}  
  
I couldn't help but laugh. "You think I'll ever tell you? You're crazy!"  
  
He seemed to smile his Andalite smile, in which only the eyes are used since they have no mouth. "I hope to change that choice." He then pressed a bottom on the table.  
  
Suddenly I figured it out a moment too late. I was strapped in an electric chair. That was the last thought that was clear for several minutes. It was then that the electricity ran through my body, chilling my bones and making my hair frizz.  
  
I sat there a long while that felt like hours with that pain rushing through my body, my body draining, ever so slowly. Then I sat there several more minutes even after he stopped the electricity. Then I licked my dry lips.  
  
I could do only one thing. I felt too drained to even talk but I could possibly do one simple thing. I calculated as well as I could in my condition and let her rip.  
  
Suddenly Visser Three found some spit in his eye and while he cleaned it off I tried to rest as well as I could for what might come later.  
  
{So you still will not talk.}  
  
I said nothing. I didn't need to. I moved my eyes painfully to his and glared. It started to her after a little while so I closed my eyes.  
  
That was a mistake.  
  
He pressed the button again. I felt the same surge of pain and cried out. The last time I had been in too much pain to make much noise. Or so I had thought.  
  
But it hurt worse when he put more pain into my already pained body. Now I was screaming and screaming, feeling as if it might never end. Would I endure that endless torture forever?, I thought.  
  
I kept falling in and out of consciousness. I was screaming, stopping and then starting again. I thought I heard some jeering and laughter but I could have possibly imagined it in my half delirious state.  
  
"Stop! Stop!" I cried.  
  
{Tell me where the Andalites are!}  
  
"I will! I will! Just stop it! Don't do it anymore! Please!" I screamed at the ceiling.  
  
{Yes, of coarse. Your sister came to pay you a visit. I think it would be quite well for her to see you betray her and the Andalites.}  
  
Then the pain stopped. There was a strange ringing in my ears and I still felt dizzy and faint. Visser Three walked over to me and helped me out of the chair. I doubt I would have noticed. I just wanted it all to be over. I could barely stand. I felt none of the eyes upon me.  
  
"Let me sit. Sit. Faint. Weak." I murmured quietly.  
  
Visser Three nodded and yelled, {Guards! Get out guest a chair. Now before I chop off all your heads!}  
  
I could now see people from the crowd. I saw no one too familiar. Maybe some people from school and a teacher or two but I care not for them. Then I saw her. She was between a small man in a suit and a tall woman in a Queen Mary hat. Alyachies.  
  
{This young girl has finally decided, after some persuasion,} some people laughed at that, {to tell us the place where the Andalite bandits dwell! At last the Yeerk Empire will control Earth!} I great cheer came up from the crowd and even greater cry came from the creatures in the cages.  
  
Then an idea occurred to me. It was horrible but I had no other choice. None at all. It was like fate. It was all counting on me. "Visser Three, please help me up. I wish to stand." I whispered. I held up the hand on the opposite side of which he was standing, meaning he would have to pass in front of me to help me up. I took my chance then.  
  
When he passed in from of me I stood, grabbed Visser Three's tail blade and plunged it deep into my chest. I looked up to have one last look of my twin. But a looked past her and spotted seven pairs of eyes in the shadows. I locked eyes with a pair of golden brown ones. I tried to smile, for them all. Then I died and no one of this world ever saw my smile again.  
  
Marco POV  
  
We had heard Ariadne's pleads for mercy. I had never heard such pain a voice. It was obvious she was being tortured. And by whom it was twice as obvious. We were all scared when she agreed to tell Visser Three of us. We all morphed and hid in the shadows, ready to pounce if she began to tell. But she never did.  
  
Instead she had killed herself. She knew that if Visser Three tortured her again she would break and tell. So she did what might have been the only possible option. But I doubt I would ever have done it, though.  
  
She had been sitting on the edge of the Yeerk Pool and when she had pundged that tail blade into her chest. As soon as she died she plopped right into the Yeerk Pool. Soon the water was red with Ariadne's blood. He body was sucked deep into the Yeerk Pool and we never got it back. When we blew the Yeerk Pool several months, maybe a year later, I guess her body was turned to ashes. It was no right funeral for her but it was given to her.  
  
I looked at Alaychies and saw her grimacing in pain, clutching her chest. I saw her fall and get swallowed up in the crowd that pushed forward to see what had happened. Then someone was knocked into the water. I saw Alaychies stand again and yell. "That was for my sister!" She pushed another person into the icy depths of the Yeerk Pool.  
  
We decided it was time to show ourselves.  
  
"L-let's do it!" Rachel said rather weakly, thanks to what she had just seen.  
  
Then we charged. There was chaos for a long time and blood was spilled on both sides. I lost site of Alyachies. I was too busy fighting off Taxxons and Hork-bajir.  
  
Then as I was being taken down by a Taxxon, I saw her. She was fighting off Visser Three's grip. It would have been pretty easy if he had been Andalite. But he was morphing into a monster. I feared Alyachies would fall to the same fate as her father did.  
  
The she turned to us and yelled, "Run, Andalites! RUN! RUN WHILE YOU STILL CAN!"  
  
At first I was confused by what she meant by 'while you still can.' But then I saw the Yeerks weakening. They were clutching their eyes. Even Visser Three had let go of Alaychies. We ran. But I wasn't about to leave Alyachies behind. I grabbed her and followed the others out the way we came.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
As soon as we were out Alyachies took several wheezing breaths. "Where are you hurt?" Cassie asked, for there were no big wounds. We had all demorphed and Tobias had even morphed human.  
  
Alaychies just favored us with a half smile. "I know now why Ariadne and I were two instead of the one we were supposed to be. We were in a way one. If one of us gets hurt, so does the other…"  
  
"So you mean that you're going to die too?" Tobias asks sadly.  
  
"I don't doubt it. I…I don't have much time. Just…don't forget us."  
  
Tobias took her hand. "I never will. We never will. Even if we live to be a hundred I will never forget you. Neither of you."  
  
She smiled again. "Thank you. Thank you all for being kind when I first came. Thank…you." She suddenly coughed weakly and fell to the floor.  
  
Her eyes were open for a while longer. She whispered something I never heard. Then her eyes fluttered shut. They remained that way forever more.  
  
Tobias stayed there, kneeled next to her for a long time. After a while Rachel rested a hand on his shoulder, lightly.  
  
That was the end of Alyachies and Ariadne. I thought of them for as long as I lived and I never forgot them. I doubt that any of us did. They died bravely. Rest in Peace, my friends.  
  
A/N: There's gonna be another chapter telling a few facts about what happens after Alaychies and Ariadne's deaths. But besides that, this is about the last chapter. Thanks to everyone who's read this story and reviewed about it! 


	15. The Aftermath

A/n: Last you will see of the T*Witches copies.hehe (quote from a review) well, it wasn't T*Witches that inspired me to make them have powers but I guess they ARE a lot like Cam and Alex in a lot of ways. Thanks again for everyone who read my story. This chapter should explain some of the unexplained, like why all the Yeerks got all messed up when they were winning the battle in the last chapter. And some of what happens later.  
  
Narrator POV  
  
All the Animorphs were present at the secret funeral of Alyachies. They cremented her body and hid the urn where no one could find it and do anything to it. Ariadne's body was never found but they hoped she rested in peace anyway.  
  
Marco always remembered Ariadne's slickness in their first meeting. If anyone had told him of what Ariadne would do then, he would have thought they were crazy. But now he knew that Ariadne really was brave, even if at times she was aggressive.  
  
Cassie never forgot those last moments when Alyachies told about her childhood. She wished she had listened better. Now those memories were only inside her and lost in the mind of the teller. Alyachies had looked to relaxed when she had spoken of her childhood. She had enjoyed the care freeness she no longer was allowed.  
  
Tobias never told Jake of Alyachies's feelings for him. Alyachies would have wanted it, he hoped. Tobias didn't want to spoil Jake's memory of Alyachies with anything.  
  
Alyachies, on the brink of death, found her power. She found she could find slight control in the minds of others. But only one part. So she took control of the pain centers of the Yeerk itself. The Yeerk was easier to target than the creature itself.  
  
So all the Controllers had to clutch themselves in the pain they felt. They wanted to pull out their eyes for no pain could be worse than the one they were feeling. Of coarse, the pain COULD have been worse. The Controller just felt pain as they had not felt before. The hosts had felt little of the pain but the most Yeerk pushed the pain the heads of their hosts. The ones that didn't had they're hosts ripping at their ears.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Alyachies's funeral was held in secret. The Chee let it be held in their underground playground. Since there was no way they were going to get a gravestone without causing trouble they smoothed out a large rock (they being the Chee, of coarse) and on it they wrote these words:  
  
Alyachies and Ariadne Fangor  
  
(1985-2000)  
  
Two friends you could count on.  
  
They got it from their father.  
  
Ax coaxed them into writing the last line. Even if that wasn't how he wanted it. Usually the Animorphs left flowers or something every so often. Tobias sometimes came now and then and talked to them. At first he felt quite foolish. But he got used to it and sometimes when there was so much going on he would find himself feeling better after talking to Alyachies (and Ariadne) 's grave(s).  
  
After the war was over he only went to their grave three times. Once, when he searched where he remembered their grave was. He found the rock (somewhat messed up, it area around it WAS blown up partly) but knew he had no chance in finding Alyachies's body. The second time he told the rock everything that had happened and cried a few times. He also took the rock back to his 'home'. He gave it to Cassie at Rachel's funeral. Cassie had it placed next to Rachel's monument. The third time, he tried looking for Alyachie's body anyway, but didn't succeed.  
  
After a few months, when they were looking for bodies among the disaster that was his former home. Tobias went to see if they found Alyachies somewhere. He didn't expect them to. So he was surprised when they did. It was there, maybe a little better preserved because it had been buried a few feet under the ground of an underground basement thingy. But she was there.  
  
They had another funeral for her body. It was supposed to be mostly secret but somehow it broke out, as most celebrity secrets will. There was TV anchors and everything there. It wasn't as big as Rachel's, of coarse but it pretty big news just seeing the Animorphs together at an event. Alloran came too, remembering his time with Alyachies. He spoke about how he had grown fond of her, even as just a host at her second funeral.  
  
Marco's mother went as well, more for Alaychie's lost sister. She cried, even though she had long been told that Ariadne had died. Tobias cried as well.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
When Marco told his mother about Ariande's death it was a bittersweet moment for her. She was so happy that she wasn't enslaved as she had thought. She was also glad she that her powers, and her knowledge, did not fall into the Vissers' hands.  
  
But she was sad by the fact that the young girl she had grown to love had died in such a horrible death. It must have been so painful, was the thing she thought the most while thinking of Ariande.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"THEY HAVE DIED THEN?" came a deep voice in Tobias's dream the night that came after the war finished.  
  
Tobias wasn't surprised to see himself as a human, for this was a dream. He could tell at once, for that was how the Ellimist wanted it. He responded after a moment, knowing, somehow, that he was talking about Alyachies and Ariande. "Yes." "GOOD."  
  
"GOOD?!" Tobias cried. "How could it possibly have been any good?!"  
  
The Ellimist's old man guise smiled. "THERE WERE TWO WAYS THEIR FATE WAS SUPPOSED TO TURN OUT." The Ellimist boomed in a voice that made you feel sure it didn't end up as either fate. "ONE, THEY WERE TO JOIN THE ANIMORPHS AND ARIADNE WOULD BE SENT WITH RACHEL. ARIADNE WOULD TURN INTO A WRECK. LIKE JAKE WILL SOON BECOME, IF HE HASN'T ALREADY. "  
  
Tobias shuddered at the thought of a Jake a wreak. But he let the Ellimist continue.  
  
"THE SECOND FATE WAS THAT THEY WOULD BOTH BE ENSLAVED BY THE YEERKS. THAT WOULD BE BEFORE THEY MET YOU BUT WITH ARIADNE'S MIND READING POWERS THEY WOULD FIND OUT ANYWAY. THAT WAS WHY MARCO MET ARIADNE ON THE SCHOOL BUS THAT DAY."  
  
So he set both Marco and Ariadne up, Tobias thought. He sighed.  
  
"BUT THEY DEFIED BOTH FATE AND.CRAYAK."  
  
Tobias looked up at the Ellimist in surprise. "Crayak? What does this have to do with anything?"  
  
"THEIR DOCTOR.THAT WAS HIM, TOBIAS. DR REE GEE, I THINK IT WAS. HE TOOK HER FORM AND CARRIED OUT OUR.BET, YOU MIGHT CALL IT."  
  
"So that's all Ariadne and Alyachies were? A bet?!" Tobias yelled at the old man figure that held so much power.  
  
"I SAID THEY WOULD SURVIVE MORE THAN CRAYAK THOUGHT. BUT HE CHEATED. HE TRIED TO MESS UP SOMETHING IN THEM. THEY WOULD STILL GET THE POWERS BUT WOULD BOTH BE IDIOTS. BUT WHO KNOWS HOW THE FOOL MESSED UP THEIR GENETICS. SO HE, INSTEAD OF LESSENING THEIR CHANCES OF SURVIVING HE PUT THEM HIGHER. BUT WE BOTH THOUGHT THEIR FATE WOULD BOTH BE PRETTY MUCH WHAT I SAID BEFORE. BUT, FROM WHAT YOU SAW. IT WAS QUITE DIFFERENT." Then he laughed and faded. Tobias woke up suddenly and thought about it almost till dawn fell over the edge of the horizon. Then his hunting began. He flew off, into the morning. His mind were on his sisters, who died so many years before. 


End file.
